Affordable Places to Eat in Oslo - Top Oslo Restaurants

Although Oslo can be a pretty expensive city when it comes to eating out, you will find some fantastic places offering cheaper options without sacrificing the great taste. Here, we've picked out ten of the top places to eat out in Oslo...

1. Ricebowl Thai Café

An exceedingly popular restaurant with locals, Ricebowl Thai Café is almost constantly busy. As a result, you may have to wait for your table but the food is well worth hanging around for. The large menu is filled with numerous rice and noodle dishes, alongside soups and much more. An English menu is available and the staff will explain any of the dishes. While you eat, be sure to have a look around at the interesting objects hanging on the restaurant’s walls. From musical instruments to bamboo, these decorative pieces add to the authentic feel of this top-notch Thai eatery. At the Ricebowl, you’ll get a main course for around 90NOK. No alcohol is served.

2. Kaffebrenneriet

One branch of a well-loved local chain, the Kaffebrenneriet on Brynjulf Bulls Plass is in a good location close to both the Nobel Peace Center and the Aker Brygge area. A great choice for an inexpensive and tasty breakfast or lunch, Oslo’s answer to Starbucks offers a wide variety of coffees, pastries, juices, sandwiches and more at great prices. It’s a busy spot but if you can, try and grab one of the stools at the window or in good weather sit at one of the tables outside for great views of Aker Brygge and the pier.

3. Villa Paradiso

Located in the popular Grünerløkka neighbourhood, Villa Paradiso is a well-loved restaurant offering a large selection of Italian dishes including pizzas and pasta, as well as sandwiches, salads and much more. There are plenty of seats available both inside and outside. If you take one of the inside tables, you’ll get a chance to have a gawk at the numerous curiosities from all over the world stored in the glass cases lining the counter. Pizzas here start at around 90NOK, with giant sandwiches and salads available for even less. A great value breakfast menu is available until 4pm too.

4. Bagel & Juice

Not just your regular lunch place, Bagel & Juice is a brightly coloured emporium of delicious bagels. There’s a huge selection of fillings to choose from and all at really reasonable prices. You’ll also find your choice of juices, smoothies, pastries and more. At Bagel & Juice, you place your order at the tills with the bagels here starting from around 35NOK. Once you’ve collected your food, head to one of the comfy couches or perch on one of the tall, neon stools where you can people-watch while you eat.

5. Peppes Pizza

This is one branch of the selection of Peppes Pizzas found across the city, and it’s a popular one thanks to its location on Karl Johans Gate close to the main train station. The selection of pizzas here is pretty vast with toppings galore available to suit all tastes. On the extensive menu, you’ll also find nachos, burgers, salads and more. Inside, the restaurant is pretty cool and you’ll find yourself easily distracted by the cool movie and music memorabilia, as well as the kitschy decorations scattered around the walls. Here, you’ll get a pretty substantial meal for around 130NOK.

6. Stockfleths

Especially busy in the mornings ith people coming in to get their daily fix of coffee and pastries, Stockfleths features a large seating area downstairs as well as plenty of places to perch around the counter. Along with the wide variety of coffees, you'll find Norwegian breads and a selection of sandwiches are also available. Warm and friendly, this place should be on your list of places to check out.

7. Fruhagen

Funky and friendly Fruhagen operates as both a restaurant and a wine bar. The menu includes a great value breakfast special, as well as burgers, sandwiches, salads and lots more. This varied selection of food is accompanied by a first-rate collection of wines, which you can get by the glass or by the bottle. Main courses here begin at around 140NOK for a pretty sizeable portion. Boasting a really cool atmosphere, this laid back spot sports mismatched furniture and a great sound system. If it’s a nice day, you’ll be able to sit at one of the tables outside and catch a glimpse of life in the popular Grünerløkka neighbourhood.

8. United Bakeries

This is the perfect place to head before or after you visit the Vigeland Sculpture Park, one of Oslo’s top attractions. Located just outside Frogner Park, United Bakeries is a really cool café and is a lot bigger inside than you might think. There’s a funky seating area down the back complete with old furniture and artsy lighting which is perfect for the greyer days, while the outdoor tables are great for when the sun is shining. Offerings here run the gamut from chocolate pastries to savoury sandwiches, and lots more besides. The selection of cakes is especially tempting, and these go really well with the aromatic coffees also featured on the menu.

9. Olivia

One of the many restaurants to be found in the bustling Aker Brygge area, Olivia stands out thanks to its array of delicious Italian fare from risotto to pizzas, scrumptious desserts, salads and more. It’s situated right on the pier, so you get a pretty excellent view with you food. The prices aren’t bad either, considering the quality and quantity of the food on offer, with main courses starting at around 130NOK.

10. Café Frölich

You might take a look at this restaurant’s upmarket appearance and think it’s too expensive, but it’s actually pretty reasonably priced for Oslo. Everything from burgers to fish dishes appear on the extensive menu, with main courses starting from around 120NOK. There’s a large piano set up inside the door, a nod to the restaurant’s musical leanings, with free concerts sometimes held here. Bright and airy, it’s definitely worth checking out both at lunch and dinner time.

Although Oslo can be a pretty expensive city when it comes to eating out, you will find some fantastic places offering cheaper options without sacrificing the great taste. Here, we've picked out ten of the top places to eat out in Oslo...

1. Ricebowl Thai Café

An exceedingly popular restaurant with locals, Ricebowl Thai Café is almost constantly busy. As a result, you may have to wait for your table but the food is well worth hanging around for. The large menu is filled with numerous rice and noodle dishes, alongside soups and much more. An English menu is available and the staff will explain any of the dishes. While you eat, be sure to have a look around at the interesting objects hanging on the restaurant’s walls. From musical instruments to bamboo, these decorative pieces add to the authentic feel of this top-notch Thai eatery. At the Ricebowl, you’ll get a main course for around 90NOK. No alcohol is served.

2. Kaffebrenneriet

One branch of a well-loved local chain, the Kaffebrenneriet on Brynjulf Bulls Plass is in a good location close to both the Nobel Peace Center and the Aker Brygge area. A great choice for an inexpensive and tasty breakfast or lunch, Oslo’s answer to Starbucks offers a wide variety of coffees, pastries, juices, sandwiches and more at great prices. It’s a busy spot but if you can, try and grab one of the stools at the window or in good weather sit at one of the tables outside for great views of Aker Brygge and the pier.

3. Villa Paradiso

Located in the popular Grünerløkka neighbourhood, Villa Paradiso is a well-loved restaurant offering a large selection of Italian dishes including pizzas and pasta, as well as sandwiches, salads and much more. There are plenty of seats available both inside and outside. If you take one of the inside tables, you’ll get a chance to have a gawk at the numerous curiosities from all over the world stored in the glass cases lining the counter. Pizzas here start at around 90NOK, with giant sandwiches and salads available for even less. A great value breakfast menu is available until 4pm too.

4. Bagel & Juice

Not just your regular lunch place, Bagel & Juice is a brightly coloured emporium of delicious bagels. There’s a huge selection of fillings to choose from and all at really reasonable prices. You’ll also find your choice of juices, smoothies, pastries and more. At Bagel & Juice, you place your order at the tills with the bagels here starting from around 35NOK. Once you’ve collected your food, head to one of the comfy couches or perch on one of the tall, neon stools where you can people-watch while you eat.

5. Peppes Pizza

This is one branch of the selection of Peppes Pizzas found across the city, and it’s a popular one thanks to its location on Karl Johans Gate close to the main train station. The selection of pizzas here is pretty vast with toppings galore available to suit all tastes. On the extensive menu, you’ll also find nachos, burgers, salads and more. Inside, the restaurant is pretty cool and you’ll find yourself easily distracted by the cool movie and music memorabilia, as well as the kitschy decorations scattered around the walls. Here, you’ll get a pretty substantial meal for around 130NOK.

6. Stockfleths

Especially busy in the mornings ith people coming in to get their daily fix of coffee and pastries, Stockfleths features a large seating area downstairs as well as plenty of places to perch around the counter. Along with the wide variety of coffees, you'll find Norwegian breads and a selection of sandwiches are also available. Warm and friendly, this place should be on your list of places to check out.

7. Fruhagen

Funky and friendly Fruhagen operates as both a restaurant and a wine bar. The menu includes a great value breakfast special, as well as burgers, sandwiches, salads and lots more. This varied selection of food is accompanied by a first-rate collection of wines, which you can get by the glass or by the bottle. Main courses here begin at around 140NOK for a pretty sizeable portion. Boasting a really cool atmosphere, this laid back spot sports mismatched furniture and a great sound system. If it’s a nice day, you’ll be able to sit at one of the tables outside and catch a glimpse of life in the popular Grünerløkka neighbourhood.

8. United Bakeries

This is the perfect place to head before or after you visit the Vigeland Sculpture Park, one of Oslo’s top attractions. Located just outside Frogner Park, United Bakeries is a really cool café and is a lot bigger inside than you might think. There’s a funky seating area down the back complete with old furniture and artsy lighting which is perfect for the greyer days, while the outdoor tables are great for when the sun is shining. Offerings here run the gamut from chocolate pastries to savoury sandwiches, and lots more besides. The selection of cakes is especially tempting, and these go really well with the aromatic coffees also featured on the menu.

9. Olivia

One of the many restaurants to be found in the bustling Aker Brygge area, Olivia stands out thanks to its array of delicious Italian fare from risotto to pizzas, scrumptious desserts, salads and more. It’s situated right on the pier, so you get a pretty excellent view with you food. The prices aren’t bad either, considering the quality and quantity of the food on offer, with main courses starting at around 130NOK.

10. Café Frölich

You might take a look at this restaurant’s upmarket appearance and think it’s too expensive, but it’s actually pretty reasonably priced for Oslo. Everything from burgers to fish dishes appear on the extensive menu, with main courses starting from around 120NOK. There’s a large piano set up inside the door, a nod to the restaurant’s musical leanings, with free concerts sometimes held here. Bright and airy, it’s definitely worth checking out both at lunch and dinner time.